Some may have missed it, however a new tax called the Airline Passenger Duty has been expanded in the pre budget report today.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2008/pbrn20.pdf
Starting at £11 for Y class aircraft on short haul, basically charter airlines (10% increase from current charge), you also now have a new band for anything "higher" than the lowest class travel. So Economy + club world, Business and first watch out. as yours starts at £22.
The kicker comes in when you go more than 2000 miles from London.
2001-4000 Band B £45 / £90
4001 - 6000 Band C £50 / £100
6000 + Band D £55 / £110
So your majority of business travellers, on medium and long haul, will get stung for the higher rate each time
it's funny where it states that the company i.e. airline is not legally obliged to "pass on" the duty charge. But of course, is any company is going to absorb this duty per passenger!! suvery says?? X
private and biz jets don't escape either. If your aircraft has 1 class config and provides a pitch greater than 40" then you have to pay the "standard" (read higher) rate.
Just to top it off, there is not even an attempt to drisguise this as a GREEN TAX. it's just stated as a plain and simple good old TAX!!
With things the way they are, who is going to be happy about rising ticket prices?? Annual holiday family, no, Biz traveller, no, regular commuter, eerrm NO. anyone left??